Kirkwood Timber Frame Expands to England: New Appointments Boost Strategic Growth

A Scottish based offsite manufacturing business – capable of delivering up to 2,000 timber frame structures per year – has recruited two new staff, as it extends its geographic reach.

Kirkwood Timber Frame welcomes two County Durham natives – Antony Bayles, 47, from West Auckland,  as Technical Sales Manager and Morgan Howe, age 27, from Bishop Auckland, as Contracts Supervisor, for England and Wales.

The appointments will spearhead a strategic time in the expansion of the Aberdeenshire business as it extends its operation in England, securing new contracts and business opportunities.

From its inception in 2021, Kirkwood Timber Frame has invested significantly in its factory facility. This includes £3m in state-of-the-art machinery and technology to ensure it has the capability and capacity to support the growing timber frame market and customers’ needs south of the border.

The duo has a combined 35 years’ experience in the construction and timber frame industries. They will be supported by Managing Director Malcolm Thomson and Business Development Director Barbara Massie  – both recognised and experienced leaders in the industry.

Antony previously managed the timber frame sector for a New York Stock Exchange top 100 construction company, covering UK, Ireland, and the Nordics – bringing new products to market. In addition to his extensive sales experience, he has also held roles in manufacturing and product design, giving him a broad understanding of the industry.

Morgan joined a national housebuilder at age 16, progressing from apprentice to site joiner. He left after seven years, working self-employed for most major manufactures of large timber frame structures, managing a team of staff that installed the frames on site.

Barbara Massie Business Development Director said: “Kirkwood is a tried and tested partner that has been supplying customers in Scotland with quality timber frame structures for a wide range of development schemes for over 40 years.

“We have noticed that there is now an appetite in England to trial and adopt timber frame construction, which most know is a greener, more sustainable, cost and time efficient Modern Method of Construction (MMC).

“To date we have secured several contracts in England with innovative companies looking to expediate build programmes, whilst meeting and exceeding energy efficiency standards and minimising waste and carbon emissions. It is clear that construction is evolving to embrace MMC – like timber frame.

“Morgan and Antony’s recruitment demonstrates our commitment to our English based customers to provide the hands-on support, advice, information and high quality of service for which we are renowned in Scotland and the UK.”

Based in the North of England, the duo, are responsible for finding and converting new customers, and managing the design and building process of the timber frame structures from start to finish.

Antony said: “I’ve worked in the MMC timber frame construction industry – on both the manufacturing and design side right through to overseeing large projects on an international level.

“I feel that my well-rounded knowledge and understanding of the sector will support what is already a strong team at Kirkwood Timber Frame, as the business looks to secure further work in England.”

Morgan added: “I am confident that as a team, Antony and I have the knowledge and experience to support customers through the entire timber frame process from procurement, design and technical, to the install on site. We are well connected so know tried and tested partners that can help facilitate the seamless delivery of timber frame projects on developments, saving clients time and money as well as supporting in the creation of energy efficient and sustainable properties.”

Recent milestone projects include supplying and installing the timber frames for:

• Accommodation to house 55 students in Dundee
• 64 affordable homes in Earlston, Berwickshire
• 45 homes in the Northeast of England delivering a regional housebuilder’s first timber frame development.
• 38 properties for Cala Homes in Aberdeenshire
• 120 homes for Cruden Group in East Calder
• Partnering Places for People Scotland on delivering its Timber Frame Framework. This includes five live sites, with a sixth due to start in January 2025, combined these total 580 homes.

Kirkwood Timber Frame also has a proven record of accomplishment of successfully delivering self-build projects for customers in city, urban, rural, and isolated locations across the UK.  In addition, the company is one of only 10 in the UK to attain NHBC Accepts  – a comprehensive review service for innovative systems that builds confidence in the use of offsite construction techniques among developers, manufacturers, and end users.